A Fool's Game
by DreamingRaine
Summary: Alice Liddell had always been seen as a disappointment to her family and no one liked her back in England, well, no one seems to like her at her new school in Japan either. However that changes when she follows a fellow classmate named Rein and manages to get herself dragged into the Arcana Game. But is it really just a game? (1st in the Game of Life Series)
1. Teaser

A/N: A very happy new year to all of you! So I'm not sure how many of you remember _**A Fool's Game**_, _**Hanged Man's Game**_, the _**Game of Life**_ series I was gonna make that started in the HnKnA fandom then branched out into the FBNFH fandom then so on and so on. I'll be restarting that with a few changes. It'll still branch out into different fandoms though.

Disclaimer: I do not own HnKnA or any of the other anime, games, etc. referenced.

*.*.*.*

Alice Liddell was regarded as a disappointment to her family.

And a plain girl at school.

Suddenly she's given an acceptance letter to a boarding school she never asked to join.

"Arcane Academy…Oh joy…"

However when she transferred in, one student transferred out.

"Hey…where did Nightmare go!?"

Why was he transferred out?

And why did he not find out about it until Alice came in?

"Nightmare was…called out by his family. Something has come up and they can no longer pay tuition."

The truth?

Or a lie?

"Why did Nightmare suddenly disappear when you came into the picture!?"

"Are you suggesting it's my fault!?"

Suspicion arises in the Fool's Dorm.

"No one wants you here! Get out!"

"Well it's not like I want to be here!"

She becomes hated in her dorm and runs away only to see a rather strange sight.

"Dice…?"

"Give those to me."

She was given dice, but for what purpose?

She doesn't know.

**[Roll the dice and let the game begin!]**

A text.

"Roll the dice?"

**[That's what I said! Roll the dice!]**

"Wh-what!?"

**[So noisy!]**

From then she becomes part of a game.

"You're actually pretty good. Want to join my guild?"

"R-really?"

"Huh? Did you guys ever notice this weird little symbol?"

"Symbol?"

"Yeah on the back of the card. It's faint, but you can still see it.

"Oh, you're right!"

"Hey look, line some of the cards together and it kinda looks like it could form a sentence."

"I think it says…"

"You can understand it!?"

Is this game just an innocent and normal game though?

"Hey Hiro? What gives!?"

**[What?]**

"What do you mean what!? What's with the PvP updates? Someone died because of it!"

**[Oh yeah…see about that...]**

**[This game's finally gotten enough Arcaners for the ritual so I'm starting it.]**

"R-ritual!?"

A ritual is started by the mysterious _**Game Master**_.

The true nature of the game begins to come to light.

New mysteries begin.

"Is this a passageway?"

"Look at the wall; it has the same symbols as the cards. I can read it!"

**[Why are you trying to stop me?]**

**[Leave things as they are. I might've said there was a way to stop it, but I never told you that you would be able to use it. Give up. NOW.]**

However not everyone is against the ritual as she would find out.

"Yes, another soul has been gathered. We are one step closer to summoning the King of Demons…"

D-did they just say a demon king!?"

"Shhh! Keep your mouth shut before we're caught!"

"Who's there!?"

"Oh no!"

"Run!"

Twenty One Dorms.

Twenty Arcana Holders.

Ten Enemies.

One Ritual.

The objective of this game?

Survival.

**COMING SUMMER 2015**


	2. Prologue: Game of Chance

A/N: Hello~! Here's the prologue for A Fool's Game! I hope you all enjoy and look forward to this series.

*.*.*.*

**Prologue**

_**Game of Chance**_

~?~

"…Hey."

"Yeah?"

"It's about time for us to go…"

"Yeah…"

"But before we do there's something we need to do."

"What?"

"Make sure we return one day. Wouldn't want you being lonely right? And I have the perfect way to insure our return to this wonderful world~!"

.

"Hm? What's this?"

.

"These cards look awesome!"

.

"Is this an iphone? PDA?"

.

"Look it's a die, but…no instructions? How do you even play?"

.

"Hey, look the phone or whatever says _**roll the die and let the game begin**_!"

~.^~.^~.^~

An acceptance letter to **Arcane Academy**, a boarding school in Japan, came in the mail for me. I hadn't even said that I would accept, nor do I even remember applying for it, and my parents are already packing my things. That's to be expected though since they never really wanted me. I'm not beautiful like my sisters Lorina and Edith. I'm not smart like Lorina or athletic like Edith either. I was the only one who turned out to be so plain in the family, a complete disappointment.

"This is your chance to prove that you're worth something, Alice!" My mother said, "Arcane Academy is the top school in the world, I'm honestly rather surprised they chose you to join rather than Lorina or Edith."

After saying that she went on and on to talk about how perfect my sisters where so I just tuned her out. I'm real tired of hearing about them. It's all we ever talk about, their accomplishments, what they did today, hell my parents would even ask them what they had as a snack as long as it meant keeping the conversation onto them.

If anything going to Arcane Academy is a perfect way for me to get away from all of them…


	3. The Die is Cast

A/N: I hope you all enjoy the first chapter of A Fool's Game! Please tell me what you think about it so far, thank you.

*.*.*.*

**Chapter One**

**The Die is Cast**

~.^~.^~.^~

I was dropped off at the academy entrance by a taxi. From there I was escorted to an old looking building, it would be where I lived from now on. The building seemed to have about five floors and was fairly wide. The building had a silhouette of a man on it with a dog by his side. He had a stick on his back and had what seemed to be a feather in his hair. Judging by the way his legs are positioned I'm guessing he was walking. Below the picture was writing that said: **"#0 Fool's Dorm"**.

Number zero? Aren't they supposed to start with number one?

Well…I guess it doesn't really matter.

I picked up my things and took a deep breath before knocking on the door. I was greeted by a friendly man. He had brown hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a butler's attire.

"Why hello there! You must be the new student! Please come in, we have your room and uniform ready!" The man said, "My name is Aaron, I am this dorm's caretaker."

"I-I'm Alice Liddell." I introduced myself as he led me up to my new room; Aaron carried my luggage. The room was pretty big. A medium sized bed was on the far left along with a nightstand. To the right was a dresser, closet, and a book shelf. To the far center was a desk and two windows where in the room, both were on either side of the desk. The floor was wooden and had many parchments in it.

"I'm sorry about the floor; the one who use to live here was in the science division at the school so he always had chemicals in here that would sometimes destroy the floor." Aaron said.

"Ch-chemicals!? Is this room radioactive!?" I screeched.

"Oh no! Not at all! The chemicals he got were from the school and they were not dangerous, they just did not mix well with the wooden floor, this is a very old house. It's been around for about a hundred years…" He explained.

"That long?" I asked.

"Yes, but there were always some sort of renovation done every ten years so it shouldn't be going down anytime soon."

"I see…"

"Well then, if you will excuse me, Alice, I shall be going downstairs. You are allowed to stay in the dorm for today, but tomorrow you are expected to be in class." He closed the door.

*.*.*.*

Aaron quickly took down a sign that was hung up on the door and swapped it with a different one before going downstairs.

"We won't be needing this anymore…" He mumbled.

*.*.*.*

Arcane Academy located in Tokyo, Japan; a school were the best education is given to those around the world. This school takes pride in being the best school in the world, possibly the universe! Wonderful education, music, and sports programs, this school encourages everyone to chase after their dreams. A serene environment ––––

"WHERE'S NIGHTMARE!?"

––––Perhaps not _that_ serene…

"Huh? What are you going on about Gray?" A teenage boy with raven hair and sea green eyes asked another teenager who just burst through the door yelling. He had golden eyes and black hair.

"Nightmare's not here Blood! I'm sure he told me he'd be here before first period, but it's already second period! Where'd he go!?" The golden eyed teen shouted at the raven haired teen.

"Calm down, you're disturbing the peace. Maybe he decided he wasn't feeling well and stayed back at the dorms?" Blood suggested.

"The dorms…right! I gotta go make sure he's okay!" Gray ran out of the classroom.

"Err….Is there such a thing as a _**cousin complex**_..?" Blood sighed.

*.*.*.*

Back at the Fool's Dorm Gray quickly rushed up to where Nightmare's room was, but for some reason the sign he had on his door was gone. A new one hung in its place bearing the name **Alice **on it.

"Al…ice?" He said. He slowly knocked on the door. When he opened it a girl was standing before him.

"Yes?" She said.

"U-umm…who are you?" He asked.

"My name is Alice." She responded, "And who are you?"

"I'm Gray Ringmarc. I'm looking for the person who used to be in this room. Do you know what room he was moved to?" He asked.

"No, I'm not sure. I think the caretaker must know." Alice replied.

"I see, well thanks!" Gray left to find Aaron. He was in the kitchen doing some dishes when Gray saw him.

"Hey Aaron! Which room was Nightmare moved to?"

Aaron turned around to look at him, "I'm sorry, but he's no longer here in this dorm…or this school actually."

Gray's eyes widened, "N-not in this school? Wh-what happened?"

"Nightmare was…called out by his family. Something has come up and they can no longer pay tuition." Aaron informed.

"Can no longer pay? But then shouldn't I have been pulled out too?" He asked.

"I do not know the full details I'm sorry Gray." Aaron gave him an apologetic look, "But I'm sure it'll be fine. Your friends are still here and now there's a new girl you can befriend right?"

"I guess, but I'm still worried about him…he's so frail and sick…and he'd always depend on me for everything…" Gray sighed and left the dorm.

'_No more Nightmare huh? But if he was leaving he would have told me. And if tuition was really the problem then I would've been pulled out too. Something's not right here…'_ He walked back to the classrooms deep in thought.

~.^~.^~.^~

See, things started out well and I thought I'd finally be able to make a few friends, but…But after a while Gray came to the conclusion that it was my fault his cousin transferred out. I didn't really get any details right away, but eventually I found out that apparently it was the _**High Priestess**_ who gave him the idea.

Gray's turned just about everyone in the dorm, my classes, the school into my enemy, my bullies.

This is not what I expected my school life to be…

It's stupid…Everyone follows this _**priestess **_like her words are law, but no one's ever seen her face. How do they know they can trust her? She's made my life here a living hell and I don't even know her!

And now I'm…

"Hey blondie!"

*.*.*.*

Alice was beckoned over by Blood and his group.

"W-what?" She asked.

"We're hungry, go get us something from the cafeteria, and make it snappy!" Blood ordered.

"…O-okay…" Alice mumbled and left.

~.^~.^~.^~

…And now I'm used as their damn errand girl…

Unfortunately I can't stand up to them without facing any consequences…

~.^~.^~.^~

_One day, after dinner, Gray came up to me. It looked like he wanted to ask me something important, but rather than going straight to the question he started some small talk. I figured, okay, I can wait until he decides to tell me himself so I went along with his conversation._

_Eventually he brought up his cousin, Nightmare. With each mention of his fond memories with his cousin I saw that he just got angrier and angrier until…_

"_Why did Nightmare suddenly disappear when you came into the picture!?" Gray suddenly screamed, "What did you do!?"_

"_Are you suggesting it's my fault!?" I yelled back. Maybe I should've tried and calmly ask him why he thought that…But at the time I was pretty mad since he suddenly accused me of doing something I know I didn't do. Besides, what logical reasoning could he have for blaming me for Nightmare's departure? _

"_It has to be your fault how else did an untalented loser like you get in this academy!? Did you forcibly make them kick Nightmare out!? Your parents are rich right; you must have had them bribe the school! They took Nightmare out to make room for you!"_

"_I had nothing to do with his departure!"_

"_Liar!"_

"_How do you know I had anything to do with him leaving!?"_

"_Because she-no nothing! I just know it's your fault okay! His departure was too sudden to just be a coincidence!"_

_Gray left after that._

~.^~.^~.^~

I didn't bother chasing after him. I thought if I left him alone for a while he'd calm down and realize that he wasn't thinking properly. Unfortunately, that gave him enough time to ask the High Priestess to turn everyone against me.

I still don't get it, why is the High Priestess doing this?

What's her reasoning?

Who is she even?

Why did she give Gray that idea?

And maybe the most important, why does everyone follow her words as law?

Oh…I finally made it to the cafeteria…

"Um….I'll have two A lunches, one B lunch, and once C lunch." I told the cafeteria worker.

It's gonna be a real pain having to carry all these…

*.*.*.*

Alice came back and gave Blood and his three friends their lunches.

"Good, now get out of here, I don't want to see your face anymore!" Blood shooed Alice away who obediently left the room…

~.^~.^~.^~

Where do I even go now? Lunch isn't going to end for another half hour…

"Oh…Alice?"

I turned around and saw Peter White…he's one of the very few people who didn't bully me, but at the same time he didn't really stand up for me either. Still, it's nice to know that someone's not going to treat me like dirt.

"H-hi…" I stuttered.

"Where are you going? Aren't you going to eat?"

"No, I'm not hungry…" Even if I do go to the cafeteria no one leaves me alone long enough for me to even enjoy a meal…, "Where are uh, you going Peter?"

"Me? I'm going to the student council room. I have to deliver some documents to the president." Right…Peter's the student council secretary, "I should get going. See you later Alice!" Peter left after that.

Now I have to find a place to stay for a while…the major classrooms shouldn't be occupied right now…any would do I suppose.

The class system here is so strange….but at least we get to do what we love as a "major class" while every other mandatory class is considered a "minor class".

The closest "major" school building was the art's department. I went into a random class and I saw…Student Council President Rein…She was absentmindedly staring at her iphone. Ah, how I envy her. She's popular with everyone and on top of that she's beautiful, intelligent, and talented…I'm sure she wouldn't have to worry about having the High Priestess turning everyone against her…

"Hm?" Crap! She noticed me!

"Ah, sorry, I-I thought this room was empty and I uh…" I stumbled over my words.

"You're…Alice Liddell I believe…" Rein looked me up and down.

"Y-yeah…"

"So, what're you doing here? Most people spend this time with their friends."

"I…"

"You what?"

"I…don't have any okay?" She only stared at me.

I envy you, you know?

Beauty, brains, talent, popularity, friends…you have everything I don't.

I also hear you have caring siblings and parents….how unfair….I'm so envious…

Most everyone here hates me, my parents hate me, my sisters don't care about me…if I was born more like her…

"I wish…I was born more like you." I said it without thinking, shocking myself…but what Rein responded with shocked me more…

"_**Listen, if you were given the chance to change everything about yourself…would you take it?"**_


	4. Welcome to the Game, Queen of Cups

A/N: Chapter two! I hope you enjoy!

Thank you to my favoriters, followers, and reviewers!

**AngelicTrinity**: I don't take OCs for this particular story.

~.^~.^~.^~.^~

"Listen if you were given the chance to change everything about yourself…would you take it?"

"Wh-what kind of…question is that!?" I shouted my question at her although I wasn't intending to…

"You can change if you'd like."

"Eh?"

"Would you…play a game?"

*.*.*.*

**Chapter Two**

**Welcome to the Game, Queen of Cups.**

~.^~.^~.^~.^

"What are you saying?" A game? What would playing a game even accomplish?

She looked out the classroom's window before continuing, "Isn't it so terrible. Even here there's a hierarchy.

"The High Priestess rules supreme…I think she spat out some pretty words and made false promises, now everyone follows her like she's some sort of goddess who can do no wrong. But she's been doing wrong since the very beginning. You're a prime example of her victimization aren't you? Isn't it unfair?"

"It's unfair..." I said truthfully.

"I'm glad you agree, I also believe it to be unfair." She smiled and walked over to me.

She continued speaking, "To become beautiful, to become intelligent, to become stronger, to gain popularity, to gain friends…If I told you all of that was easily obtainable by playing a simple game would you believe me?"

"A-are you saying something like that is possible!?" I asked. If something like that is truly possible…I want…

"Then do you believe me, Alice?"

"But…how would something like that be possible?"

"How…by…" She reached into her pocket, but as she did the door to the classroom slid opened.

"Sorry I'm late Rein it took long…eh?" The person who walked in was Makoto Naegi, my dorm's representative and lead, "Oh, I didn't know you'd be here Alice."

"O-oh, well…" I didn't really know what to say. I mean I only came here to get away from everyone I never expected these two would be here…

Makoto is another person who doesn't bully me, but he doesn't help me either. Same with Rein, although it's not like Rein and I've ever had any sort of contact before this point.

"Did you bring what I asked for?" Rein asked Makoto.

"Oh yes, here…What were you guys talking about?" Makoto questioned as he handed some sort of document to Rein.

"Oh…nothing really." Oh yeah, what she was saying earlier…I wonder, was she just killing time for Makoto to get here?

"W-well! I better get going, excuse me!" I ran from the room after that.

*.*.*.*

"Wait!" Rein yelled.

"D-did I say something wrong?" Makoto scratched his cheek.

"No, I'm sure you didn't." Rein sighed.

_Bzzt. _

Rein looked at her phone and let out an aggravated sigh.

"Annoying text?" Makoto asked, "You look bothered."

"It's nothing, let's go."

*.*.*.*

Later that day, as everyone was heading towards their dorms, Alice ran into Makoto and Peter.

"Oh Alice!" Makoto called out to her, "Are you okay? You suddenly ran off earlier…"

"H-huh? Yeah, I'm fine!" Alice said.

"I didn't realize you two knew each other." Peter said.

"Well, she's in the dorm I lead, and I kinda...hear about her a lot…" Makoto mumbled the last half of his sentence.

"A-anyways Alice are you sure nothing's wrong? I, uh, didn't say anything that made you run did I?" Makoto scratched his cheek.

"No you didn't there's no need for you to worry Makoto!" Alice told him.

"Really? I'm glad." Makoto smiled.

"Alice, you wouldn't happen to know where Rein is would you?" Peter asked.

"N-no I haven't seen her since lunch…" Alice replied.

"Strange she-" Someone yelled loudly, cutting Peter off.

"FIGHT! THERE'S A FIGHT!" Students began running past the three and down the flight of stairs.

"Who's fighting!?" One student asked.

"I heard it's a five on one!" Another laughed.

"Hey, isn't it that one band of bullies?" One said.

"I hear the person going against them…is President Rein!" The second they heard Rein's name, Peter and Makoto bolted away with the students.

Alice decided to follow them, however, by the time all three reached the front of the school where this fight was taking place…

It had already ended.

The bullies lay lifeless on the ground, but Rein was nowhere to be found.

"D-did Rein do this?" Alice asked.

"Th-there's no way she would…" Makoto shook his head.

"She's not responding to my texts…" Peter mumbled.

"Do you think she went back to the dorms already? We still have a meeting to do…" Makoto said.

"Alice, can you go to the Devil's Dorm? It's number fifteen. Sorry, but we have to go to the student council room immediately." Peter put his hands together and bowed towards Alice.

"A-ah, s-sure! I'll go!" Alice nodded.

"Really? Thank you very much! Let's hurry, Makoto." Peter and Makoto went back inside the academy while Alice left towards the dorms.

~.^~.^~.^~.^~

Number fifteen…Devil's Dorm…whose bright idea was it to name a dorm after the devil?

"Excuse me, do you know if President Rein came back to the dorms?" I asked their dorm caretaker.

"Yes, I believe she was headed towards the roof I believe." The roof? Why the roof?

"Thank you!" I ran up to the dorm's roof. I partly opened the door and that's when I saw a strange sight…Rein was holding her hands up to the sky and something from the sky was floating down towards her, but I can't quite tell what it is…

Just a little closer…Oh…

The door ended up completely opening.

"Alice..!?" Rein directed her attention to me.

"U-uh…I-I came to get you...P-Peter and M-Makoto were l-looking for…" I trailed off.

_Fsss…_

_Clack._

The light came back, but it didn't last as long this time and it appeared closer to me…

Whatever was in the light fell to the floor near me…are those…dice?

I picked them up and sure enough they were normal die.

_Bzzzt._

Rein looked at her phone before looking at me again. She held out her hand, "Give those to me."

"Wh-why? What are they?" They look like normal dice, but they can't really be right? I mean normal dice don't float and come from the sky!

"It doesn't matter what they are just hand them over!" She frowned.

"If you tell me what they're for then I'll give them to you!" I told her.

"I see it's the hard way then…"

"What do you-oof!" She punched me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me.

*.*.*.*

Alice fell to her knees, wrapping her hands around her stomach.

"Hand them over." Rein repeated.

Alice clumsily got up and dashed down the stairs, "A-as if I'll give them to you now!"

She managed to get away from the Devil's Dorm.

Rein stayed on the rooftop and glared at her phone…

She got another annoying text.

As much as she didn't want to reply to them she did so anyway…

She had to report what had just happened after all.

~.^~.^~.^~.^~

I ran all the way back to my room in my own dorm. When I got there I saw a nicely wrapped gift box sitting on my bed. I approached it and it was addressed to me, but it didn't say who sent it.

I don't know who would send me something like this, my parents sure wouldn't nor would my sisters. I don't really think I should be opening a suspicious package no matter how nice it looks, but…I feel drawn to it. I decided to open it despite my better judgment. Inside was a phone...it looked like the same model Rein had. There was also a pack of cards and…great more dice…

I looked at the ones already in the palm of my hands…with the ones in the box it seems I have seven in total.

_Bzzt._

A text? But why? Who would be texting this phone?

It's says it's a restricted number…

**[Roll the dice and let the game begin!]**

"Roll the dice?" I mumbled. What would rolling them even do? And how would this person even know I have the dice? Is this some kind of prank?

**[That's what I said! Roll the dice!]**

"W-what!?" I screamed. Did I just get a reply to what I said? But how?

**[So noisy!]**

**[Even all the way here in the ****Akasha Stratum**** I can hear your ungodly screams.]**

"C-can you seriously hear me?"

**[I'm answering you aren't I?]**

"Wh-what are you!? Why did I get this!? What are the dice!? How can you hear me!?"

**[One question at a time if you would.]**

**[Also I'm not answering jack until you roll at least one die.]**

"I'm not rolling anything until I know what they are!"

**[Fine…I'll make you roll!]**

_**Brrr…**_

Eh? The ground…is shaking!? An earthquake!?

"Wh-whoa!" It got stronger and stronger until it knocked me over and then…it suddenly stopped. The dice from my hand were knocked over and when I went to pick them up…they suddenly turned a shade of light blue.

**[There…now you rolled them.]**

**[Time for the obligatory message!]**

**[Congratulations on becoming a Taroter!]**

"Taroter!? What is that!? Did you cause that earthquake!?"

**[You sure got a lot of questions.]**

**[I'll start with the ones you said first.]**

**[I'm a GM.]**

**[That stands for Game Master if you didn't know.]**

**[You can call me Hiro.]**

**[And the gift...]**

**[It's something given to everyone who becomes a participant of the game.]**

**[Or in your case was about to.]**

**[As for the dice they will be what helps you even out the playing field so to speak.]**

**[You can use the dice to elevate your Strength, Intelligence, Spirituality, Beauty, etc., etc.]**

**[Depending on the number you roll depends on how many points you have so you can allot them to each skill.]**

**[And a Taroter is…someone who is part of the **_**Arcana Game**_**.]**

**[As of right now you are part of the **_**Suit of Cups**_**.]**

**[Congrats! You're part of the ninety nine percent.]**

**[When the hell are more **_**Suit of Wands**_** gonna appear?]**

**[But I digress…]**

**[The earthquake now…hm…did I cause it?]**

**[Maybe I did, maybe it was a strange coincidence.]**

**[Or maybe you made it up in that insane little mind of yours.]**

"Hey! Who are you calling insane!?"

**[Well I mean you're yelling at a phone.]**

**[I think that could qualify you as insane…well not as bad as insane.]**

**[Crazy might be a better word. You're not completely gone…]**

**[…**_**Yet**_**.]**

"What is that supposed to mean!?"

**[It means if you keep yelling at your phone your ass gonna be considered certifiable.]**

**[I highly doubt anyone would believe that a guy could hear you as you yelled through your phone without actually inputting a number.]**

"Don't these things have a function where you talk to it and it writes down what you want it to say?"

**[Yeah, but let's be honest here, in your position at the academy right now]**

**[I get the feeling the High Priestess will find a way to convince everyone you're a lunatic meant to be locked up if she's given even a small piece of **_**'evidence'**_**.]**

**[And yelling at the phone might do it.]**

**[She's got a thing for conveniently **_**'forgetting'**_** bits like those that could prove you're innocence.]**

**[Plus just about everyone hates you so I'm sure they wouldn't mind overlooking that detail.]**

"Ugh! And how do you know all that about me anyways? Are you a stalker?"

**[Oh, of course not, I'm the equivalent of what humans call…]**

**[…****A God****…]**

"G-god!? What do you…"

_Bzzt._

**[Oh hey, you got a new text]**

**[I'd read it if I were you.]**

**[Trust me.]**

**[This gon' be good.]**

…I might as well check it. Wait it's actually showing a name, this phone has numbers already registered?

Wait…this person is…the…th-th-the…_**High Priestess**_!?

And it seems to have been mass texted.

_**{Good evening to you all.}**_

_**{As of right now Miss Fine Arke is allowed to join in our game.}**_

_**{Also…}**_

_**{As you are all aware I had asked you to treat Miss Alice Liddell as poorly as possible…}**_

_**{However, I know retract that statement.}**_

_**{You no longer have to treat her poorly.}**_

_**{But you don't have to treat her nicely either.}**_

_**{Treat her as you like from now on.}**_

_**{Those who I specifically asked not to meddle with her at all, you may do as you please now as well.}**_

_**{That is all.}**_

_**{I hope this evening shall be pleasant for you all.}**_

_**{May the blessing of His Eminence be with you.}**_

~?~

"Good for you."

"Yeah, isn't the High Priestess so wonderful? Now I can help Alice!"

"I hope this means you won't be stalking her anymore…"

"Oh, but I wasn't stalking her before. All I did was take her pictures, nothing more. Of course now even though I can help Alice I still can't interact with her as I please, so I'll just have to keep a close eye on her from the shadows."

"…Does that mean you're gonna stalk her even more now?"

~.^~.^~.^~.^~

"Wh-what?"

_Bzzt._

**[Congrats, people will finally leave you the fuck alone.]**

**[Probably.]**

**[Guess no one's gonna think you're insane even if you yell at your phone now!]**

**[…Probably…]**

"She caused me all this grief and torture…only to end it just like that!?"

_Bzzt._

The High Priestess again, but this time it's just for me it seems…

_**{Welcome to the Game **__**Queen of Cups**__**.}**_

_**{Shall we begin?}**_

That pissed me off.

What does she mean welcome to the game?

What does she mean shall we begin!?

_(What's wrong with you!? What are you even talking about!?)_

_**{Are you mad at me?}**_

_(Am I mad…?)_

_(Am I mad!?)_

_(Of course I'm mad!)_

_(You've been the reason why my life here has been a living hell! You can't just suddenly message me about some stupid game after tormenting me!)_

_**{Me? Tormenting you?}**_

_**{There's been some sort of mistake, Queen of Cups, I merely did as the **__**Page of Swords**__** asked.}**_

_**{He said you wronged him and his family.}**_

_**{As the High Priestess I merely did what would ease him of this great wrong.}**_

_**{So he told me to punish you and I did.}**_

_(Page of Swords!? Who!?)_

_(Is he Gray!?)_

_**{I do not reveal names of other suits and arcanas, Queen of Cups.}**_

_(Why are you calling me that!?)_

_**{That is who you are Queen of Cups, have you not checked on your Game Phone?}**_

I guess this thing is the Game Phone? Where do I check my name?

**[Go to Settings and then click on Personal]**

…Hiro's like some creepy mind reader…

I do as he says and sure enough, info about me is there.

Name: Alice Liddell _**(Private)**_

Identity/Card Rank: Queen of Cups _**(Public)**_

It does say Queen of Cups…

Overall Ranking: 20,000

Guild: None

Skills: No skills currently equipped

Equip(s): None

**Stats**

-Beauty: 1

-Intelligence: 1

Strength: 1

-Spirituality: 0

-Agility: 1

-Luck: 20 _**(Permanent)**_

Everything, but luck and Spirituality are at one, but it seems luck will be twenty permanently…

I went back to texting the High Priestess.

_(I guess you're right, but whatever!)_

_(If turning everyone against me was some sort of punishment)_

_(Why'd you suddenly tell everyone to stop!?)_

_**{Are you not pleased that I have stopped them?}**_

_(It doesn't make any sense though!)_

_**{You are not just any normal suit.}**_

_**{You are the Queen of Cups therefore you have more authority over a Page.}**_

_**{Even if you have done a terrible wrong I cannot punish you unless I see it myself}**_

_**{Or if a member of the game of a higher status asks me to punish you.}**_

_(So this is all because of the game!?)_

_(I was punished for some stupid game!?)_

Ugh! This is so infuriating! What the hell is wrong with her!?

What the hell is wrong with Gray!?

What's wrong with this game!?

_(Is this school really being controlled by a stupid game's hierarchy!?)_

_**{Does it upset you?}**_

_(Does it upset me!?)_

_(Of course it does!)_

_**{Then change our ways, Queen of Cups.}**_

_**{You have the power to do so now.}**_

_**{Will you stand and fight for the change you desire?}**_

_**(Or will you merely complain and do nothing?}**_

_**{Just like you have your whole life.}**_

_(My whole life?)_

_(How would you even know that!?)_

_**{I have said enough for one evening, Queen of Cups.}**_

_**{Have a pleasant night's sleep.}**_

_**{May the blessing of His Eminence be with you.}**_

_(Hey, wait! I'm not done talking with you yet!)_

_(Do we know each other?)_

_(I still don't understand!)_

But she refused to reply…

**[Fastest way to get answers from her is by becoming closer to her in card rank.]**

**[If you manage to rank yourself within the top 20]**

**[She more than likely will answer any question you have.]**

"And how do I raise my rank?"

**[By using dice, getting equips, and skills.]**

**[Like how you would get stronger for any other game.]**

"So I have to play this stupid game?" I sighed.

**[Don't call it stupid!]**

**[It's a game that can really help you in life you know?]**

**[Increasing beauty actually makes you prettier.]**

**[Strength makes you more athletic and stronger, obviously.]**

**[Intelligence can give you an unlimited amount of knowledge, you'll never fail a test again!]**

**[Luck will help you if you ever decide to gamble or play games of chance.]**

**[Like this game.]**

"And spirituality?"

**[Eh, I wouldn't waste points on spirituality.]**

**[It takes one million dice points in order to raise spirituality by one.]**

"One million just for one!?"

**[Yeah, no one else is really bothering with it.]**

**[You probably shouldn't either.]**

"I guess I won't, but I know one thing I definitely want to work on…"

**[What would that be?]**

"Strength…when I see the High Priestess I'm gonna punch her in the face!"

**[Whatever motivates you to play I guess…]**

**[Good luck Queen of Cups.]**

*.*.*.*

A/N: If you want to know more about Miss Fine Arke, you should read _**A Magician's Game**_. Its first chapter begins after Alice leaves the school grounds to go find Rein.

Yes it probably seems rather anticlimactic to some of you that suddenly the High Priestess called off the hatred and shunning of Alice, but there's a good reason why. You'll be given sneak peeks as to her true intentions in later chapters and everything will be fully revealed in _**A High Priestess' Game**_, but that story won't be published until after _**An Emperor's Game**_ and _**A Hanged Man's Game**_ and both are far off from being published so…

I hope you enjoyed the story nonetheless and I hope you'll stick around and wait for the next chapter! Thank you for reading!


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